Vital Voices’ Longstanding partners at Johnson & Johnson helped bring together women leaders to support their holistic health and prioritize themselves as they give to so many others
October 2019 – This month, Vital Voices and Johnson & Johnson convened 17 of the VV100 women leaders in São Paulo, Brazil for a week of training focused on self-care, mindfulness, wellness and holistic health. Over the course of three days, the women who care for so many were able to care for themselves.
Team members and trainers from Johnson & Johnson guided workshops on topics such as:
- Defining your personal mission
- Identifying values
- Energy management
- Nutrition for energy management
- Movement
- Sleep science
- Stress awareness and management
- Delegation
- Gratitude, empathy and positive thinking
Throughout the gathering, women participated in workshops, identifying their personal values and priorities to better understand who they are, rather than what they do. They worked on ways to take time for themselves, while remaining incredibly passionate and committed to the important work they do. Moreover, they found a support group in one another.
“I’m grateful for the amazing sisters I’ve inherited [here.] We are going to be sisters for life; just know that I am always going to be there [for you all],” said Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, psychologist, mental health advocate and VV100 member.
That support will help put the action plans women identified while in Brazil in motion, and carry the valuable lessons they learned throughout the week forward. So many in the room were grateful for the opportunity to take a step back, evaluate the ways they spend their time, and realize that they cannot serve their communities well if they don’t first serve themselves.
“I feel as though I have a new lens to look through that crystallizes a doorway so that I can find myself, because I’ve lost myself in my work,” expressed Tamala Chirwa.
Each of the VV100 women who participated will be pursuing a challenge over the next 90 days, and will be held accountable by their peer coach – another woman who participated in the trainings. We can’t wait to see how they do!
For more on VV100 and our partnership with Johnson & Johnson to support changemakers holistically, please visit this website.
